Intensive Poultry System Under “Sauna Weather” Attack: Egg Production Plummets, Mortality Soars, Lifesaving Solutions Here!​​

“We fear nothing except ‘sauna weather’—it’s going to slash egg production again!” This lament becomes routine for farmers every summer. When temperatures soar above 35°C with 80%–100% humidity, the dreaded “sauna weather” arrives. In such conditions, henhouses turn into steamers, pushing flocks to their limits. Due to technical gaps, many farmers struggle to cope, suffering devastating losses.

Why “Sauna Weather” Is Deadly

Birds primarily dissipate heat through respiratory evaporation. When the perceived temperature exceeds 26°C, they begin panting; beyond 30°C, their self-cooling capacity plummets. In saturated “sauna weather,” evaporative cooling fails, causing:

• ​Soaring Body Temperature: Unable to shed heat, core body temperatures spike.
• ​Crashing Feed Intake: Appetite nosedives, slashing nutrient uptake.
• ​Production Collapse: Egg production and quality deteriorate rapidly.
• ​Mortality Surge: Death rates climb, inflicting heavy losses.

The Invisible Damage Is Worse

Beyond physical distress, high heat-humidity conditions trigger severe health crises:

• ​Panting Damage: Prolonged gasping causes respiratory alkalosis, progressing to metabolic acidosis, damaging respiratory mucosa, and inviting infections.
• ​Diarrhea Crisis: Water overload leads to watery feces, draining critical electrolytes (potassium, sodium), causing dehydration and gut diseases.
• ​Liver Failure: Blood diverts to the skin for cooling, starving the liver and causing “burst liver” fatalities.
• ​Immune Collapse: Surges in corticosteroids suppress cellular/humoral immunity, undermining vaccine efficacy.

Practical Strategies for “Sauna Weather” in Intensive Poultry System

​1. Environmental Modifications: Cooling at the Source​

• ​Roof Protection: Paint roofs white or apply lime to reflect sunlight. Install 10cm foam insulation panels where possible.
• ​Physical Cooling: Spread straw on roofs; pour water during heatwaves to drop temperatures by 3°–5°C.
• ​Cooling Pads: Install pads at inlets paired with exhaust fans for evaporative cooling.
• ​High-Efficiency Ventilation: Adopt tunnel ventilation to maintain airspeed of 1.8–2.4 m/s. Add 3–4 ceiling baffles to ensure uniform temperature.

​2. Management Details: Small Adjustments, Big Impact​

• ​Density Control: Reduce stocking to ≤18 birds/m² or 4 birds/cage to improve airflow.
• ​Feeding Overhaul: Shift feeding to cooler morning hours. Add 1-hour lighting from midnight to 1 AM to encourage eating—ensure the dark period post-feeding exceeds 2.5 hours.
• ​Smart Watering: Provide cool well water in continuous flow. Add 0.1% potassium permanganate to disinfect.
• ​Manure Management: Remove droppings promptly to cut fermentation heat and noxious gases.

​3. Nutritional Support: Boosting Heat Tolerance​

• ​Energy Boost: Add 2%–3% oil (e.g., soybean oil) to raise energy density and prolong digestion.
• ​Amino Acids: Increase methionine and lysine; supplement 1.5–2 kg lysine and 0.5 kg methionine per ton of feed.
• ​Key Additives:
  • Vitamin C: 300–500 g/ton of water to ease heat stress.
  • Vitamin E: Quadruple doses to protect cell membranes.
  • Baking Soda: 0.2%–0.5% in feed/water to balance pH.
  • Potassium Chloride: 0.15%–0.30% in feed to replenish losses.

​4. Medical Backup: Reinforcing Defenses​

• ​Herbal Prevention: Use Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui to prevent heatstroke and treat damp-cold ailments.
• ​Compound Formulas: Combine Shuanghuanglian Oral Liquid and carprofen calcium for synergistic relief.
• ​Vaccination Caution: Avoid vaccines during heatwaves; if essential, administer in cool hours with immunomodulators.

Critical Alert: Nights Are the Deadliest Hours

Most deaths occur 1–2 hours after lights off. While birds cool themselves by drinking and excreting in daylight, they risk fatal heat exhaustion if temperatures stay high at night.
​Solutions:

• Maintain moderate ventilation overnight; never shut fans completely.
• Provide 0.2% baking soda water before lights off.
• Monitor nighttime temperatures; activate backup cooling if needed.

Last-Resort Emergency Measure

If all else fails, release birds from cages to rest freely on the floor until temperatures drop. Though labor-intensive, this saves lives.

“Sauna weather” tests not just the flock’s endurance but the entire ​intensive poultry system management. A Hebei farmer attested: “After implementing these steps, egg production dropped only 5% in extreme weather last year, compared to 15% previously.”
As the hot-humid season approaches, prepare one week early—check ventilation, stock anti-stress supplies, and adjust feed formulas. Your flock’s resilience lies in your hands!